


Eye of the Beholder

by smolcake



Category: Persona 4
Genre: :c, Culture Festival, F/M, No yet anyway, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Unrequited Love, and im forever salty about it, as much as i love yosuke, beauty pagent, female Narukami, god damn does he think with the wrong head often, i got self indulgent, i would still romance yosuke even though he did this i know what i am, not FeMC :c, she will soon grace the world with her prescence, yes i wrote this because i cant play as a female in p4
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-07-25 19:23:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16204052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolcake/pseuds/smolcake
Summary: A retelling of the Beauty pagent, now with a female Narukami.





	1. Not Sure Whether to be Insulted or Grateful

“You know, I’m not sure whether to be insulted or thankful my name isn’t on that list.”  
  
Chie and Yukiko looked at their friend, classmate, and leader of their investigation team, Yuri Narukami. The girls had walked to school together that day and noticed a small crowd in front of the announcement board.  
  
The girls had worked their way to the front to find two sign-up sheets were posted, one for the Miss Yasogami pageant and one for the “Miss” Yasogami pageant during the school festival. And four of the six participants had been listed all in the same handwriting on the Miss Yasogami pageant. Chie and Yukiko had been signed up, along with the newer members of their team Rise and Naoto. The only two listed in different handwriting were the girls homeroom teacher, Noriko Kashiwagi, and their classmate Hanako Ohtani.  
  
“Don’t you also think that this handwriting looks familiar?” A cheery voice asked from behind.  
  
Startled by this question, the three girls looked behind them. They had been joined by a furiously blushing Naoto and an oddly calm Rise.  
  
Chie looked down, then returned her head back. Yukiko returned her gaze to the sign-up sheet. Yuri began rummaging through her bag.  
  
“Yeah, though I can’t really place it at the moment.” Yukiko said, drawing her words out as her brain tried to place where exactly the handwriting belonged.  
  
“Got it.” Yuri pulled a slip of paper out of her bag. The bottom half of the paper ripped as Yuri pulled it out.  
  
“Ah, there’s still the crowd. Maybe we should move into the hallway?” Yuri suggested.  
  
The girls nodded, and moved towards the first years classrooms.  
  
Chie, Yukiko, Naoto, and Rise glanced at the paper.  
  
“Senpai, is this a shopping list with aisle numbers on it?” Naoto asked, not entirely maintaining to keep the skepticism from leaking into her voice.  
  
“Yes, but what I was really looking for was on the back.”

“The… back?”  
  
Yuri flipped the list, revealing a handwritten conversation.  
  
_So partner you know how you have access to all these Personas?_

**Yes.**  
  
_Is there like a limit on how many you can have or do you just like have one for say Yukiko and one for Kanji if they are part of the backup team?_  
  
**There is a limit. I do try to cover everyone’s weaknesses just in case. Why are you bringing this up?**  
  
_I was just thinking about the time Chie got knocked down and how you whipped out this little snowman looking guy and just broke the shadow in like 2 moves. You just looked so cool that I knew we would definitely solve this case even if it took all year._  
  
**Thank you Yosuke, that means a lot coming from you.**  
  
Although the note clearly continued as there were markings below what was readable, the rest of the conversation had been torn off.  
Yuri pointed at the two instances of her friends names on the note.  
  
“This looks very familiar.”  
  
Chie was the first to react. “OH, THAT BOY IS SO DEAD!”  
  
Yukiko said nothing, however the look in her eyes confirmed that if Chie did not finish the job, she would.  
  
“Aw, you’re so cute Senpai! I wish I could pass notes to Naoto-kun and Kanji-kun but every time I try the teacher calls on me to answer a question.”  
  
“You really should be paying attention Rise. You never know if this information could be helpful to our investigation.” Naoto countered. Rise playfully pouted, then returned to smiling.  
  
“Back to the sign-up sheet,” Naoto continued. “Do you guys know who is the teacher supervising the events?”  
  
“I heard that Morooka was in charge this year, but since he died that would mean Kashiwagi would be in charge, right?” Yukiko offered.  
  
“Then we just need to go and ask her if we can remove our names from the list.” Naoto said.“Yes, but what if she won’t let us take our names down from the list?” Yukiko asked. A silence fell over the girls as they felt a chill graze their hearts. As comfortable as they were with their bodies, most were not comfortable with the idea of having the school’s undivided attention in such a manner.

“I’ll think of something, don’t worry.” Yuri said, while giving a look to the group that conveyed her sympathy and her willingness to do anything for her friends. The group felt a sense of calm enter their hearts, and willpower in their veins.  
  
The girls nodded, and after school made their way to the faculty offices. They found Kashiwagi at her desk, grading papers while simultaneously working on lesson plans.  
  
Yuri moved herself to the front of the group, and cleared her throat before addressing her homeroom teacher.  
  
“Kashiwagi-senpai? My friends and I were wondering if we could have a moment of your time.” Yuri had somehow made herself appear small, appealing to Kashiwagi as one would in a time when hardship and pride have fought and hardship prevailed for far too long.  
  
Kashiwagi ate it up.  
  
“Of course Narukami-san. How can I help your little mind expand today, hmm?” Kashiwagi punctuated the end of sentence by crossing her arms, as if in a mocking challenge to the group of students.  
  
Yuri responded, noting the movement yet not letting it phase her.  
  
“This is about the Miss Yasogami Beauty Pageant. My friends here were all signed up against their will or knowledge by a classmate and we were all wondering if you would be so kind as to remove their names from the list? We would be very grateful.” Yuri ended her request with a deep bow, the rest of the team quickly, and almost simultaneously, following suit.  
  
Kashiwagi waited a second before responding.  
  
“I’m sorry girls, but since participation for the event had been in decline the past few years, the rules have changed to that once a participants name is on the list there’s no going back. This rule, of course, also applies to the cross-dressing pageant as well.”  
  
Kashiwagi then lifted her right hand, and winked.  
  
“It’s not like any of you are going to win anyway, since you’ll be competing with my natural beauty.”  
  
Chie groaned, “We don’t have time for this. I’m going to go and try to get my mind off this. Yukiko, want to come?”  
  
“Yeah, I forgot I promised to help out at the inn today anyway. Thank you for the information, Kashiwagi-sensei.” The two girls left, full of tension at the thought of what was to come during the school festival.  
  
As soon as Yukiko and Chie cleared the room, Rise’s cell phone began going off.  
  
“Oh shoot. I’m sorry I forgot I promised my grandma I would help with the store today. Thank you for your time, Kashiwagi-sensei.” Rise bowed and quickly left.  
  
“I’m sure my grandfather is wondering where I am. Thank you again, Kaswagi-sensei. This information was helpful, if not disheartening.” Naoto left, leaving Yuri alone with Kashiwagi. Yuri again addressed her teacher, a mischievous gleam in her eyes and a gentle, yet wicked, smile gracing her lips.  
  
“You mentioned something about the cross-dressing pageant?”

Kashiwagi returned Narukami's smile with one of her own.


	2. To Be Consumed with Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri fights blushing while trying to get some words out.

The next morning, Yuri awoke having regret everything having to do with her involvement in the Miss Yasogami Beauty Pageant Scandal of 2k11. She just wanted to stay home and text Yosuke about everything that happened and just beg for his forgiveness. After laying for a few minutes longer, hoping against all hope that Yosuke had maybe caught a freak cold and wouldn’t have to go to school for the remainder of the week, Yuri got up, got ready, and ran the entire way to Yasogami High.  
  
Yuri entered her homeroom and took her seat next to Chie. Chie turned away from Yukiko and gave a smile to Yuri.  
  
“I had no idea our leader was so open to the idea of participating in a beauty pageant.”Chie teased, knowing full well that Yuri was participating so that her friends wouldn’t have to go it without her support.   
  
“Well, my mom has been bugging me for a while to do more feminine things. This should count enough to get her off my back all the way to university, yeah?” Yuri joked, hope growing with every second that Yosuke was sick and she wouldn’t quite face the consequences of her actions. Yukiko and Chie laughed, Yuri joining in when she realized her joke had landed with frightening accuracy. The girls had been laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.   
  
Due to this they failed to noticed Yosuke rushing into the classroom, face pale and eyes revealing anger and betrayal. Eventually, the girls had calmed down and turned toward Yosuke. Yuri felt her stomach drop and her hands grow so cold she could’ve sworn she had summoned Black Frost outside of the TV World. Yuri decided that taking a joking approach would probably help alleviate some of the tension she would feel in the air around Yosuke. “‘Sup, Yosuke? What’s got you all hot and bothered?”  
  
Yosuke took a moment, whether to gather his thoughts or just breathe Yuri could not fully tell, and responded with highest amount of broken heartedness she had ever heard from him since the two of them had met his Shadow in the distorted liquor shop.  
  
“Kanji and I were signed up for the cross-dressing pageant without our consent.”  
  
The false shock that permeated through the girls faces was almost palpable. Chie quickly recovered and smiled and delivered the single most cruel line Yuri had heard that week.   
  
“Wow Yosuke, why don’t you just try backing out? It’s not like Kashiwagi won’t let you.”  
Chie’s smile grew in power, and Yuri started fearing that she may have done something that put her relationship with Yosuke in permanent jeopardy.   
  
Yosuke, to his credit, did not immediately retort with something stupid. He took a moment, looked as though he was about to say something, then seemed to think better of it. He instead turned to Yuri.  
  
“I did see _your_ name on the Miss Yasogami Pageant list. Want to tell me whats up with that?”  
  
Yuri did her best to bring up her normal, calm smile yet all she could muster was a look that was mostly neutral but bordered on disappointment. She knew that telling Yosuke her intentions was going to probably be the most difficult thing she did today, since there was no way her team would be up for raiding the TV World right now.  
  
“I can’t bring myself to leave my team mates behind, whether on the battlefield or in a social situation.” She tried to will her eyes to send a non-verbal message to Yosuke that would be best summed up as _“PLEASE GOD DON’T ASK ME  FOR ANYMORE INFORMATION I’LL TALK TO YOU AT LUNCH I PROMISE IM SO SORRY YOSUKE I LO—.”_  
  
Yuri felt her cheeks heat up. She never allowed herself to go farther with her thoughts of Yosuke in the event he didn’t reciprocate. She didn’t want to put that kind of strain on their friendship, and she backed this logic by believing should that sort of strain happen on their relationship it would affect the overall chemistry of the Investigation Team. She really did not want to take into account what would happen if the entire teams chemistry went out of wack.  
  
So she did not dare entertain those thoughts. At least, not until they had caught the murderer.   
  
…  
  
They could do that before Valentine’s day right?  
  
“Uh, Partner? You okay there?”  
  
Yuri snapped back to reality, suddenly aware of how close Yosuke was. She could just barely make out the jet black color of his roots.  
  
“Wow you must really be dreading the pagent, Yuri.” Yukiko offered.   
  
“Yes. Yes that’s right. I just can’t leave the rest of you to suffer through it though.” Yuri felt utter relief at this simple lie Yukiko offered.   
  
Yosuke scratched the back of his head.  
  
“So, you can fight demons and gross monsters but being in the spotlight is what freaks you out?”  
  
Yuri felt her face heat up again.   
  
“Ye-yeah. I guess when you put it that way, it does sound a bit silly. I’ll make sure this won’t be an issue going forward.” Yuri felt herself smile. Inside, however, she just wanted to scream about her feelings for Yosuke and rip the bandage off her self imposed ban.   
  
She just had to last five more months.  
  
She could last five more months.  
  
She lasted this long after all.   
  
Fortunately for Yuri, Kashiwagi walked in effectively silencing the class.  
  
As Kashiwagi began going on about how they would be voting soon for a class idea for the culture festival, Yuri used this opportunity to send a note to Yosuke.  
  
 _Please have lunch with me today partner._  
  
Yosuke tapped Yuri on her back with his pencil three times. The confirmation signal they had agreed on so many months ago.  
  
Yuri began working on calming herself, knowing she had only a few hours to do so.  
  
She thanked whichever deities were choosing to watch over her then that none of the teachers called on her to answer any questions.  
  
Eventually lunchtime came and with it Yuri had effectively calmed herself. Now was the time to come clean to Yosuke. While she made her way to the rooftop, she realized that while she planned to do this as a one-on-one experience between the two of them, a flash of a green jacket turning the corner ahead of her told her it would be anything but.   
  
So Yuri decided to make a quick side stop to the restroom. Procrastination was not one of her favorite vices, but she used the couple minutes she had to get herself down to group meeting calm. She knew the second she opened the doors to the rooftop it was likely that at least Chie and Yukiko would be inches away from outright murdering Yosuke where he stood. At most, all of her team mates.  
  
And her school social links.   
  
_Oh god what would Ai say to tease her about this?_  
  
 _Focus Yuri_ , she reminded herself. _One problem at a time._  
  
Yuri left the bathroom and climbed the steps, ready for the argument she knew she would barely be able to contain. She hoped one of the other girls would be able to talk sense into the conversation.   
  
Yuri faced the door to the roof and took a deep breath.  
  
She was ready to face this.  
  
She hoped.


End file.
